Improvement in car-couplings



M. WATERB'URY.

Car Coupling.

Patented Feb. 11, 1862.

Withesses= e A v Inventor.

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Nrrnn STATES MILAN VATERBURY,

or POLO, ILLINOIS.

IMPROVEMENT IN CAR-COUPLINGS.

Specioation forming part of Letters Patent No. 34,384, dated February 11, 1862.

To a/ZZ whom it may concern:

` Be it known that I, MILAN WATERBURY, of Polo, in the county of Ogle and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self-Connecting Couplings for Railroad-Cars; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, making a part of this specilication, in which- Figure l represents in perspective one end of a car-truck having its portion of the coupling in place, each half of said coupling being exactly alike. Fig. 2 represents abottom view of the ends of two trucks coupled together. Fig. 3 represents alongitudinal Vertical section through the ends of a pair of trucks coupled after my plan.

Similar letters of reference where they occur in the separate igures denote like parts in all the drawings.

I am aware that hooked couplings with vertical jaws have been used; but as these jaws must spring laterally to allow the hooks or jaws to catch over or upon each other it has been found that the sudden starting of the cars will spring the coupling apart and disconnect the cars.

The object of my invention is to avail myself of the benet of the vertical jaws upon the couplings which admit of coupling themselves when run together, regardless of which ends of the cars provided with them are brought together, but at the same time prevent the recoil or sudden starting of the train from springing the couplings apart and thus disconnecting the cars; and 'the nature of my invention consists in so combining the vertically-jawed hooks or catches with a springbuifer as that the hooks may recede with the buffers, but at the same time be interlocked, while the recoil of the springs behind the buffers when the train is started up will prevent any sudden strain upon the coupling and so prevent the jaws or catches from being separated.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use my invention, I will proceed to describe the same with reference to the drawings.

A represents the end of a car-frame having longitudinal pieces BB arranged underneath the platform 'and far enough apart to allow the spring-buer C to move longitudinally between them. The buffer C has a spring a behind it, which may be of metal, rubber, or any other material having sucient elasticity for the purpose, and may be held up at its rear by a round tenon c, passing through a guide-piece d, and at its front by a plate e, as shown in the drawings, or in any other Way that will allow it longitudinal but no lateral play. To the under side of these spring-buffers, and near their rear ends, as at f, are pivoted the shanks D of the hooks E, so that they may move laterally, but against the action of a spring g, whose tendency is to restore them to their normal position, or to draw them toward their holding pins or studs h. Thus the hooks have two motions-viz., the longitudinal one, which they receive from the spring-buffer, and the lateral motions which they have independent of the buffers. The forward ends of the hooks are held up by a plate t', which may be both a spring-plate and an adjustable plate, the spring to prevent any sudden jar and the adjustment to regulate the height of the hooks, should there be any disparity in the heights of the platforms of the several cars that are to form the train or are to be furnished with the couplings.

A shaft F, having a hand-wheel Gr, and a chain k, that is united to the jaws or hooks E, may be used for drawing the semi-couplings apart to disconnect the cars withoutleaving the platform, or a lever may be used for this purpose.

In running two cars together to be coupled the jaws of each will hook or catch against each other just as or a little before the buffers come in contact with each other, and whatever may be the violence with which the cars come together, the force is taken on the spring-buiers, the catches not being even jarred by it; but being connected to the buffers they both recede in their locked position with the buffers, and when the train is straightened out the force is taken on the springs a, 'a without allowing any sudden strain upon the hooks or catches, and consequently there is no tendency to spring them apart.

Having thus fully described the nature and v object of my invention, what I claim therein them, substantiallyas and for the purpose deas new and desire to secure by Letters Patscribed. ent, is y So combining the hooks or catches E E MLLAN VVATERBURY' with the spring-buffers C C that While they Witnesses: move longitudinally with the buers they JAMES C. LUCKY,` may have a lateral motion independent of SAUL T. PEROE. 

